[ He is never, ever one to cling to the past. He just thought that, as he lay dying on the roof of the Arasaka Building, that he had said his goodbyes. That he was putting a bow on the short little life he'd lived, thinking about the people he loved. He was happy. He genuinely was. People may make faces at his circumstances, but he would never trade a single moment of it.
But now he has the chance to look back, empty handed, and he wishes he had his old camcorder. He wishes his phone still worked. He wishes he had one of Anna's marbles or a pack of Kusanagi's cigarettes or one of Mikoto's rings just to remember them by. Except all he has are proxies, fading memories, the faint tug of his heartstrings when he sees an exceptionally red sunset.
Jing Yuan is a little taller than Mikoto, but just as warm, and just as sturdy. In the rare moments he did cry, Mikoto did the same for him. He stayed with him, quietly, and waited, without judgment, for it to pass.
That's all he needed. And now, that's still all he really needs.
When he pulls his face back, eventually, he notices that Jing Yuan had turned them slightly, so the most powerful people in this foreign world don't notice how he loses composure in such an important meeting. He immediately brings up his hand to start wiping at his face; his shoulders shudder briefly, but that's from a quiet laugh, and not another sob.
He's too embarrassed to look at him. ]
...Thank you.
[ His voice cracks, is thick from his tears, and it's only loud enough for the both of them. ]
no subject
But now he has the chance to look back, empty handed, and he wishes he had his old camcorder. He wishes his phone still worked. He wishes he had one of Anna's marbles or a pack of Kusanagi's cigarettes or one of Mikoto's rings just to remember them by. Except all he has are proxies, fading memories, the faint tug of his heartstrings when he sees an exceptionally red sunset.
Jing Yuan is a little taller than Mikoto, but just as warm, and just as sturdy. In the rare moments he did cry, Mikoto did the same for him. He stayed with him, quietly, and waited, without judgment, for it to pass.
That's all he needed. And now, that's still all he really needs.
When he pulls his face back, eventually, he notices that Jing Yuan had turned them slightly, so the most powerful people in this foreign world don't notice how he loses composure in such an important meeting. He immediately brings up his hand to start wiping at his face; his shoulders shudder briefly, but that's from a quiet laugh, and not another sob.
He's too embarrassed to look at him. ]
...Thank you.
[ His voice cracks, is thick from his tears, and it's only loud enough for the both of them. ]